Cyr whips up top leadership post

Sen. Julian Cyr, shown here last year at the MV Shellfish Group Hatchery in Oak Bluffs, is being named assistant majority whip in the Senate.

State Sen. Julian Cyr, D-Truro, was named assistant majority whip in the 191st Massachusetts General Court.

State Senate President Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, announced committee assignments and appointments Thursday, and tapped Cyr to be part of the legislative leadership team. Cyr is the sole sophomore legislator on the leadership team, and is currently the youngest member of the Senate.

“I am profoundly grateful to be a member of Senate President Spilka’s leadership team,” said Cyr. “Senate President Spilka is a skilled, experienced and thoughtful leader whose priorities, including mental health parity, education reform, climate resiliency, affordable housing, and healthcare reform, demand action to improve the quality of life for everyone living in our commonwealth. I am honored to be part of her leadership team, and look forward to rolling up my sleeves to solve the problems facing my district and our state.”

Cyr will also chair the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery, and act as vice chair of the Joint Committee on Housing. Cyr also has seats on the Health Care Financing, Public Health, Education, and Municipalities and Regional Government committees.

With Cyr as assistant majority whip and state Rep. Sarah Peake, D-Provincetown, working on the House leadership team, the Cape and Islands have two leaders at the State House.

In a phone conversation with The Times, Cyr said he is aware that it is rare for a sophomore legislator to be in a leadership role, but he is excited to get to work and be an active member in the conversations and strategies of the Senate.

“This position will allow me to advance some of the critical challenges across the region and

advance the needs and concerns of constituents on all six Island towns and the Cape,” Cyr said.